With the all-important election for the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the apex garment makers’ body in Bangladesh, just round the corner (4 April), campaigning is picking up pace and the Commerce Minister, the Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation and several lawmakers have joined the campaign, adding a new dimension to the election, as per media reports.

According to the reports, leaders of the two major coalitions, Forum and Sammilita Parishad, have already started campaigning while Swadhinata Parishad (another alliance) is also very much in the fray even as Sammilita Parishad’s long-time President and the Commerce Minster of the country Tipu Munshi was, reportedly, present at the inauguration ceremony of the Parishad’s election office on 15 February alongside Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, who is also the General Secretary of Sammilita Parishad, while former BGMEA President and lawmaker Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin has, reportedly, been attending the election meetings of Faruk Hasan regularly (Faruque Hassan will lead Sammilita Parishad as president candidate) with Abdus Salam Murshedy, another lawmaker and also former BGMEA president, being the chief election coordinator of Sammilita Parishad, but no minister or lawmaker was, reportedly, campaigning for the Forum.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media, ABM Samsuddin, who is the Forum leader, reportedly, underlined that competition should be based on the competence of the candidates while adding that lawmakers and ministers work for all people, and that, supporting a business group ‘diminishes the dignity of their position’.

“…I request the ministers and the lawmaker not to campaign for any particular group,” reportedly, maintained Samsuddin.